Re: GG: Sound recording resources?

[Bradley P Lehman <bpl@umich.edu>]

On Mon, 1 Jun 1998, Mary Jo Watts wrote:

> I'm trying to put together a bibliography about the history of sound
> recording.  I have quite a few books about early recording
> machines/Edison/phonography etc. but I'm looking for more contemporary
> sources which address issues that relate to GG and to his "Prospects of
> Recording" essay.

I enjoyed _The Fabulous Phonograph_ by Roland Gelatt (New York : 
Macmillan, c1977). 

> 
> Anyone know of some good reference materials about tape splicing,
> multitrack recording, overdubbing, stereo/Dolby etc? When did tape
> splicing become a common recording practice?  In what musical genres?
> What are the most important musical recordings in terms of the artistic
> use of recording technology?  In pop? rock? Jazz? classical?  spoken
> word?  
> 
> Everyone please join in with suggested recordings and why you think
> they're important to recording history.  

I don't know how historically significant these are, but these are
suggested directions you might try: 

Didn't Heifetz do a recording of the Bach double concerto in the 1940's,
playing one solo part with the orchestra and overdubbing the other? 

That fad in the early 60's where producers put pop singers' vocal tracks
in several times to give a chorused effect. 

For minimal-miking techniques, that "Mercury Living Presence" series in
the 1950's.

That Telarc early-digital demo recording of the 1812 Overture by Kunzel,
featuring the carefully-mixed cannons.  Also, everybody else's 1812: what
they did with the cannons, bells, and/or chorus.

Switched-On Bach, which Carlos did one voice at a time; then the
little-known two albums of "Spaced-Out Bach"  (mid-1970's) featuring
Joseph Payne doing a similar amount of overdubbing and re-registration of
Bach works, but with every voice played by harpsichord. 

An album of Rameau's harpsichord works played by Albert Fuller on
Reference Recordings, with the unusual sound perspective of a wide stereo
spread as the player (rather than the typical listener) would hear it.
Early 80's?

Binaural stuff, with the dummy head.

Quad, especially Bernstein's "Mass" written as a sound-in-the-round
experience (and including prerecorded tapes). 

John Cage's "HPSCHD" where the Nonesuch LP came with instructions how to
play the volume and balance controls of your stereo to bring out different
balances (different versions of the piece) at your wish.  The harpsichords
are in separate channels. 

The Beach Boys did their main releases in mono even when it wasn't
fashionable anymore, because Brian Wilson (according to his biography)
wanted the mix to be exactly as he set it and not at the mercy of a
listener's balance controls (plus Wilson is deaf in one ear)...opposite of
that Cage idea. 

I'll probably think of more later.

Bradley Lehman ~ Harrisonburg VA, USA ~ 38.45716N+78.94565W
bpl@umich.edu ~ http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl/